Journal article
Antimony and arsenic particle size distribution in a mining contaminated freshwater river: Implications for sediment quality assessment and quantifying dispersion
Environmental pollution, Vol.305, 119204
15/07/2022
PMID: 35395352
Metrics
4 Record Views
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
This output has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:
Source: InCites
Abstract
Assessments of antimony (Sb) and arsenic (As) contamination in sediments are reported on a wide range of different particle size fractions, including <63 μm, < 180 μm and <2 mm. Guidelines vary between jurisdictions which limits comparative assessment between contamination events and complicates ecotoxicity assessment, and almost no information exists on Sb size distribution in contaminated sediments. This study quantified and compared the size distribution of Sb and As in 11 sediments (and 2 floodplain soils) collected along 320 km of waterway contaminated by historic mining activity. Sediment particle size distribution was the primary determinant of total metalloid load in size fractions across the varying substrates of the waterway. Minerals and sorption complexes influenced metalloid particle distribution but relative importance depended on location. Arsenic concentrations were greatest in the fine <63 μm fraction across all the different river environments (7.3–189 mg kg−1, or 1–26% of total sample As), attributed to fine-grained primary arsenopyrite and/or sorption of As(V) to fine solid-phases. The Sb particle size concentrations were greatest in mid-size fractions (205–903 mg kg−1) in the upper catchment and up to 100 km downstream to the mid-catchment as a result of remnant Sb minerals. Antimony concentrations in the lower catchment were greatest in the <63 μm fraction (8.8–12.1 mg kg−1), reflecting the increasing importance of sorption for Sb particle associations. This work demonstrates the importance of particle size analysed for assessment of sediment quality, and provides support for analysis of at least the <250 μm fraction for Sb and As when comparing pollutant distribution in events impacted by primary contamination. Analysis of the <63 μm fraction, however, provides good representation in well-dispersed contaminated sediments.
Details
- Title
- Antimony and arsenic particle size distribution in a mining contaminated freshwater river: Implications for sediment quality assessment and quantifying dispersion
- Creators
- Steven Doherty - University of New EnglandIsabelle Rueegsegger - University of New EnglandMatthew K. Tighe - University of New EnglandLuke A. Milan - University of New EnglandSusan C. Wilson - University of New England
- Publication Details
- Environmental pollution, Vol.305, 119204
- Publisher
- Elsevier Ltd
- Grant note
- The study was undertaken with the assistance of a Research Training Program scholarship provided by the Australian Commonwealth Government, using facilities and operating funds provided by the University of New England. Antimony and arsenic X-ray absorption spectra included in Supporting Information were collected at the XAS beamline of the Australian Synchrotron, Melbourne (grant numbers AS192/XAS/14670 and AS1/XAS/15662).
- Identifiers
- 991013092671802368
- Copyright
- © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
- Academic Unit
- Faculty of Science and Engineering
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article